She Could Be The One
by inplainsight131
Summary: The Berrys are looking for a surrogate and meet Shelby Corcoran for the first time.
1. Chapter 1

"Hello, this is Shelby Corcoran. Who would I be speaking to?" She had a calming, sweet voice. It carried a tone that commanded respect, but wasn't overbearing.

"This is Leroy Berry."

"Yes, I'm calling about your add, in the paper, I thought we could meet. Maybe I could help remedy your problem."

••••

Wanted: a young, bright woman to serve as a surrogate, to two men. Leroy and Hiram Berry, Lima, OH.

••••

"Oh, really? Is there somewhere you could meet my Husband and I, maybe over dinner? We can discuss things." Leroy Berry was a gay man from Lima, OH. He and his husband, Hiram Berry, had been together for years and were finally ready to start a family. They knew that this wouldn't be easy. Especially this way. They wanted a child that was biologically one of theirs. They didn't consider adoption an option.

"That sound lovely, where and when should we meet?" Shelby Corcoran was an aspiring Broadway actress. She knew that she could earn enough money here to support herself for a while, until she landed a part on Broadway.

"Um, let's see, how about tomorrow night at 6:00, at the Milano Café?"

"Sounds great. Um, I'll wear a coffee brown leather coat, I'm 5' 4", and I have long brown hair."

"We'll wear navy blue sports coats, and striped ties. Well try to secure a window booth."

"Alright, see you there!" She seemed to be genuinely excited.

"Good-bye." Leroy was excited but not as much, his excitement was reserved. Leroy and Hiram had already gone through this with three other women, and none of them stood up to their scrutinization. Hopefully this one would go better.

••••

Shelby pulled open the door, the restaurant wasn't very busy, just a few couples and few families. The place was dimly lit and there was soft music playing. Hiram and Leroy were about half way back. Shelby walked slowly up the aisle, her palms were sweaty.

"Hello, I'm Shelby Corcoran." She said with a small wave. Hiram stood up first, sticking his hand out.

"Leroy and I are glad you could meet us." Hiram was considerably taller than Leroy. They both looked Jewish, same as Shelby.

"Yes, we are glad you could stop by. Here, have a seat." Hiram gestured to the seat next to Leroy and Shelby slid in.

"So, tell us about why you would want to help us." Leroy seemed to have more people skills than Hiram.

"Well, I'm an aspiring Broadway actress. I was in an off-Broadway show a few years ago, that didn't go so well. If I were to do this, I could go live in New York, and hopefully make it this time."

"Hiram and I love Broadway theatre."

"Oh, really! What's your favorite show?"

"Oh we couldn't possibly choose. Could we, Leroy? But we love Carousel... Funny Girl. So many to choose from."

"I had always hoped to play in Funny Girl." Now Hiram spoke up.

"Ms. Corcoran..."

"You can call me Shelby"

"Yes, Shelby, why should we choose you." Hiram wasted no time.

"Well, I don't know, I'm healthy. I have a good personality, ambitious, I can sing, I have a college degree. Here, why don't you ask me questions and I'll answer." She was a little nervous. Leroy started.

"What is your faith?"

"Jewish."

"What was your upbringing like?"

"Well, my parents and I lived here, in Lima, a small house in the suburbs. We attended synagogue weekly. I have a younger brother and sister. From a very young age I knew I could sing. Since, probably, the third grade I knew I wanted to be on Broadway."

"Well, sounds like you were right about the ambition part! Do you have an medical conditions?"

"I do have asthma, but it's mild, and rarely affects me."

"Are you, or have you ever been, married?"

"No."

"Have you ever been in a committed relationship?"

"I was with my high school boyfriend until I left for college."

"So, you are straight?"

"Yes."

"Where do you work."

"Well, right now I work at the local music library."

"Are you taking any medications?"

"Just vitamins."

"Alright Shelby, I think we should meet again so we can get to know the real you."

"That sounds great! I really hope I can help you guys." With that Shelby stood up and so did the Berry men.

"You both have my number, so just call when you're ready to meet up." Leroy hugged Shelby and Hiram shook her hand and they wished her well.

"Well, Leroy, how do you feel about this one?"

"I'm not sure but I think she could be the one."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, I don't really feel like writing since Cory's death.**

* * *

Leroy called Shelby about a week later.

"Shelby? This is Leroy."

"Hey, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Hiram and I are going to the park, we like to walk, its good for the heart you know. We wanted to know if you would like to come with us?"

"Oh, that sounds great but, I just got back from the gym, if you guys could wait a little bit I'd love to join you." Shelby was trying to sound calm, but she was frantically running around the house looking for clothes, she really wanted this to work so she was trying to get ready as fast as she could.

"That will be fine, just call when you're ready."

"Alright, I'll be as quick as I can, I'll call soon. Goodbye."

••••

Shelby jumped out of the shower and slid on her clothes. She didn't bother to dry her hair, she just tied it up in a messy bun. She ran out to her car as fast as she could grabbing her purse and keys on the way. She was nervous that the Berry's wouldn't accept her, she was trying to do as much as she could to prove her worth.

••••

Shelby pulled into a parking spot and ran over to the trail to see if she could see the Berry's. She jogged over to a map of the park and tried to find where she thought they might be. Leroy said they liked to walk, and she knew they lived walking distance away, so she ran over to that side of the park and quickly found them.

"Hiram! Leroy!" Shelby called out to them.

"Hey, Shelby. How are you?" Leroy was her main source of contact with the Berry's. Hiram either didn't like her, or was just not a people person.

"I'm fine. So do you guys want to walk around?"

"We'd love to. Now Shelby, we need to know more about you." Hiram was quite a tall man, he towered over both Leroy and Shelby, making her feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Tell us about you hobbies."

"Oh, let's see. I enjoy singing, I like to run, to do puzzles." They just walked around for a while talking about nonsense things, that is until Shelby said she had to leave.

"Guys, this has been fun, but it's Thursday and my moms coming over, so I have to cook." She didn't really want to leave, it was going so well.

"Oh, well that's fine."

"How about you two come over to my place tomorrow? We can talk I can show you what kind of life I live." She had circled in front of them to so she could see both of them.

"That sounds great! What time should we arrive?"

"Oh two or three."

"Alright, see you then."

"Bye, guys!" She shouted over her shoulders as she ran off.

"Hiram?"

"Yes, Leroy?"

"I think this one will work."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes, she's a Jew, she's beautiful, smart, healthy, says she can sing, loves Broadway. She's everything we want in a mother for our child."

"I suppose I'll have to agree with you."

"Fantastic! We'll tell her tomorrow!"


	3. Chapter 3

Knock-knock-knock

Shelby was wearing black slacks, and a white flowing sleeveless blouse. With her hair pulled back into a pony tail, with the ends curled.

"Welcome! Come on in you guys!" Her house was a modest red brick in the suburbs. She had a flower bed around her front porch, which was painted white. The front door opened to a staircase with a hallway on each side. On the left side of the stairs Hiram could see a kitchen and what looked to be a living room.

"You play piano?" Hiram asked.  
"I dabble, I can bang out my chords. That's about it."  
"Now, Shelby, this is a very lovely place." Leroy was always to one to compliment her.  
"Thank you, Leroy. I have prepared some snacks, I thought I could show you all around?"  
"That would be lovely." Hiram surprised her by speaking up.  
"Well, alright. This way to the kitchen." She led them down the left hallway to the first entrance it was a medium sized kitchen with black granite countertops, and the floor was a light-ish color of gray. It was very attractive. She walked over to the island in the middle of the room, which also contained the sink, and picked up a tray of crackers with spinach and and cheese dips, and a pitcher of pink lemonade.

"Follow me, if you will, down this hall to the living room. The living room was about the same size with a couch, made of caramel colored fabric, and two matching chairs, facing the coffee table in the middle of the room. She walked to the table and set down the tray and poured them glasses of lemonade, which she set on music note covered coasters.  
"Have a seat wherever you want. Hiram and Leroy sat on the couch and Shelby sat on the chair to the right of the couch. A large tv hung above a small fireplace, right across from the couch. An upright piano set against the wall in the corner, behind the couch.  
"This is excellent spinach dip, Shelby."  
"Thank you, Leroy, it's my mothers recipe."  
"Shelby you said you could sing, but Leroy and I have yet hear."  
"Um, alright, what would you like to hear, you think about it and I'll go into the kitchen and warm up."  
"Alright." She walked down the hall, and soon the men heard her, and there's was no doubt about her voice. It was beautiful, almost angelic.  
"Leroy?"  
"Yes, Hiram?"  
"She's amazing."  
"Yes, Hiram." She soon walked back in, and was startled to see them staring at her.  
"Did I spill something on my shirt?" She said while looking all over her outfit.  
"No, dear, we are just in awe of your voice." She blushed.  
"Thank you," she said modestly, "is there something you want me to sing?"  
"We couldn't decide, we were too busy listening to you warm-up." Hiram was a little embarrassed.  
"I could sing 'Funny Girl'."  
"Oh, yes we love Barbra."  
She started calm and quiet. Facing away front them.  
"Funny... Did ya hear that," with a little laugh, "Funny, yeah the guy said 'Honey, you're a funny girl.' That's me, I just keep them in stitches, double in half, and though I may be all wrong for the guy, I'm good for a laugh." She said with quiet chuckle, "I guess it's not funny, life is far from sunny, when the laugh is over," she sang her voice rising, "and the jokes on you! A girl oughta have a sense of humor, that's one thing, you really need for sure! When you're a funny girl," her voice now calming down now, "the fella said a funny girl, funny, how it ain't so funny, funny girl..."  
Leroy and Hiram leapt from their chairs to give Shelby applause and a hug.  
"Shelby, you have an amazing talent!"  
"Oh, thank you, Leroy."  
"I concur!" Hiram was flabbergasted at her skill, he didn't know what to do."  
"Thank you both so much, but really, that's enough." She patted Hiram and Leroy's hands and motioned to their seats.  
"Shelby, we want you to listen very carefully to what we're about to say." Shelby's heart sped up.  
"We want you to be our surrogate." Leroy said, holding onto Hiram's hands. Shelby didn't say anything at first, but she started crying a little.  
"Oh, Shelby, is something wrong?"  
"No, no, I'm just so happy! Oh, thank you both so much." Shelby jumped out of her seat and grabbed onto the Berry's.  
"No. Thank you, Shelby. Leroy, we've finally found the one."


End file.
